“If you can sell, you can build. And if you can build, you can lead.”

In this special episode, we welcome Alex DiPietro, Babson alum, former hockey player, and the first undergraduate Babson grad featured on Stars of Franchising. Alex brings a dynamic mix of tech sales grit, deep family legacy, and second-generation franchise leadership to the table.

As a multi-unit Dunkin’ operator and second-gen franchisee in one of the most iconic family-run Dunkin’ operations in the Northeast, Alex shares how his background in sales, sports, and entrepreneurship shaped his approach to franchising — and how he’s forging his own path while honoring a powerful legacy.

🎙️ In this episode:

• How tech sales gave him the entrepreneurial backbone for franchising
• Lessons learned from legendary operator Carlos Andrade
• The myth of absentee ownership — and why leadership starts in the store
• Why he earned his general contractor license to lead remodels himself
• The value of “healthy tension” between ‘Zors and ‘Zees
• Using collaboration and shared infrastructure to drive growth and efficiency
• What keeps him up at night: defining his legacy

From legacy to innovation, Alex’s story is a blueprint in leading from the front.

"We’ve been lucky to grow up in a playground of entrepreneurship — churros just happen to be the medium."

In this energizing episode of Stars of Franchising, we sit down with Mateo and Tadeo Acosta-Rubio, Venezuelan-American brothers and second-generation leaders of the beloved global franchise Churromania. From childhood shifts behind the register to launching tech startups while studying at Babson College, their story is about more than just churros — it’s about turning family legacy into innovation.

As co-founders of Clave, a franchise analytics startup, and former founders of Stuvie, the “Airbnb for music studios,” Mateo and Tadeo are blending deep-rooted franchise experience with a Gen Z lens for scale, data, and social impact.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Growing up “smelling like churros” — and turning that into a career
• Why franchising is a goldmine for problem-solvers and innovators
• The creation of Clave, an AI-powered co-pilot for franchise operators
• How social impact and family values fuel their leadership
• Advice from their parents that still guides them daily
• How they’re redefining what it means to be young franchise leaders in a multigenerational business

Whether you're a next-gen franchisee, tech-enabled entrepreneur, or someone building legacy with purpose — this one’s for you.

"Franchising is not just a business model. It’s an ecosystem of shared success."

As the founder of GNF Worldwide, Fernando López de Castilla Elías has helped shape the franchise landscape across more than 10 countries. From consulting and sales outsourcing to franchise-focused investment banking, Fernando’s firm has completed over 10,000 deals — making him one of the most influential figures in international franchising today.

In this episode of Stars of Franchising, Fernando joins Ab and Vini to share what it takes to build franchise systems that scale responsibly and sustainably around the globe. With deep expertise in Latin America and a sharp perspective on what it means to “professionalize” franchising, Fernando brings the kind of global insight that franchise leaders at every stage need to hear.

In this episode, Fernando discusses:

• Why most Latin American franchisors fail when they try to scale too soon
• What franchising maturity looks like — and how to know if you're ready to go global
• How his legal and finance background shaped GNF’s investment discipline
• The biggest gaps between U.S. and emerging market franchising approaches
• Why long-term partnerships, not transactions, are the future of the franchise model
• How GNF Worldwide is helping create a new generation of global franchise leaders

This episode is a must-listen for anyone thinking about international growth, emerging markets, or how to turn a franchise system into a long-term asset.